Summer is a great time for hosting backyard parties.Western, Wet, Luau, Movie Night, and Garden Party themes create fun backyard party ideas.Planning a backyard bash is easy with the proper preparation and help from friends and family.Set up decorations like hay bales, cowboy hats, checked tablecloths, fairy lights, candles, and mason jar drinks.
It was fitting it started in March.The madness.Whispers of school closures turned to formal proclamations.The cable news pundits swinging between hysteria and dismissiveness.Going to the grocery store turned into something out of a science-fiction movie: empty shelves, lines of people, deserted streets, and, of course, stripping down before entering the house as if our clothes carried the potential to turn our family into zombies.
Estonian pavilion takes over rental apartment to challenge housing crisis
The Estonian pavilion at this year's Venice Architecture Biennale is a rental apartment with a live-in actor who is performing daily rituals to explore the challenges of home ownership.Titled Home Stage, the exhibition challenges the contradiction of a home being both a living space and a piece of real estate.
Living in Germany: Countryside life, Maultaschen and the British royal family's German roots
From what it's like to live in small town Germany, to the surprising German roots of the British royal family, here are some of our top talking points this week.Published: 8 May 2023 10:16 CEST The town of Riedlingen, Baden-Wurttemberg at the weekend.Local readers said small town life was often more scenic, quieter and family friendly.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST: This week marks 40 years since a certain bushy-haired painting instructor, ASMR stimulator and accidental inspirational speaker first hit the airwaves.(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE JOY OF PAINTING") BOB ROSS: We don't make mistakes, as you know.All we do is have happy accidents in our world.
As the cost of living rises and winter sets in, several London councils and organisations are opening warm banks to help people through the colder months.A warm bank (or space) is a public venue such as a library or church anyone can visit for free if they are struggling to heat their home.Most London councils have confirmed they will be running a warm bank scheme.
7 productive distractions to effectively reduce stress
When done right, distractions can help us regulate our emotions - and, with the perfect activity, you could be introducing another layer of joy into your life 1.Go for a mindful walk Going for a walk is a recommendation we've all heard before, right?Being mindful on your walk, however, can take things up a notch.
Not going out: 51% of people will spend more evenings at home to save money'
Nearly one in three (32%) people say they are assessing whether every single purchase they make is necessary as their budgets are squeezed by rising costs, a survey has found.
A human player has comprehensively defeated a top-ranked AI system at the board game Go, in a surprise reversal of the 2016 computer victory that was seen as a milestone in the rise of artificial intelligence.Kellin Pelrine, an American player who is one level below the top amateur ranking, beat the machine by taking advantage of a previously unknown flaw that had been identified by another computer.
Google Teaches AI to Play Stratego and It Becomes One of the World's Top-Rated Players
Stratego AI DeepMind's latest artificial intelligence, DeepNash, has learned how to beat almost all human players at Stratego, a war game that involves two players attempting to capture the enemy's flag.It's yet another fascinating - and impressive - instance of AI learning how to play a game and sharpening its skills enough to become of the top-rated players in the world.
From Bucks Fizz to leftovers, Brits reveal their favourite things about Christmas
From Bucks Fizz to leftovers, Brits have revealed their favourite things about Christmas (Image: Getty Images) Christmas is a time of tradition.Whether it's the day you put your decorations up, the Christmas movies you rewatch every year or the treats you leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve.Everyone has their own traditions and their own habits that make Christmas a special time of year.
Meta researchers create AI that masters Diplomacy, tricking human players
On Tuesday, Meta AI announced the development of Cicero, which it clams is the first AI to achieve human-level performance in the strategic board game .It's a notable achievement because the game requires deep interpersonal negotiation skills, which implies that Cicero has obtained a certain mastery of language necessary to win the game.
Opinion | I Make Video Games. I Won't Let My Daughters Play Them.
There is some debate among researchers and health care practitioners that gaming can become a true addiction, but according to the World Health Organization, "gaming disorder" can "result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning."
Beyond AI Art: Image generation for broader creative applications
Over the past year, there's been an explosion of image generation tools, like VQGAN+CLIP, Midjourney, DALL·E, and Stable Diffusion, enabling artists to generate images from text prompts.
Quick links: Best board games The best board games are brilliant for forgetting your worries and focusing on time with family or friends.But there are mountains out there so it's hard to know which one to choose.For this reason, we've collated a list of our favourite games around.Our list has games that need strategy, logic, creativity and luck - just pick which takes your fancy.
The 32 Best Screen-Free, Outstandingly Simple Toys of 2022
We live in an age where everything is overdesigned.Your "phone" - a one-stop shop for work, texts, entertainment, video chats, and news - is just the beginning.
Brooklyn Public Library announces most-borrowed book of all time to celebrate 125th anniversary * Brooklyn Paper
In celebration of its 125th anniversary, the Brooklyn Public Library has released its list of the top 125 most-borrowed books of all time - and the beloved 1963 children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak tops the list.The library has been celebrating its anniversary all year long with special events and, to bookend the festivities, decided to count up Brooklyn's favorite books - using factors including checkout and circulation data, old bestseller lists, and the years since each book was published.
Every player in the top online casinos would celebrate a no deposit bonus and a free spin.A no deposit bonus is a particular amount of cash a player receives in their account for a specific action.
Tom: HELLO!I'm back from my holiday (in Italy!)and ready to be your trusty Monday-Poster.I have fattened myself on pasta (large), gelato (cold), and bread (bread).
Wyrmspan is basically Wingspan with dragons, and that's perfectly fine
Aviary-themed games with broad appeal like Wingspan are paving the way for new nature-inspired tabletop designs.
Wyrmspan by Stonemaier Games introduces dragons in a familiar gameplay format, benefiting from a renowned game designer and a strong theme.
The success of Wyrmspan is attributed to its shift to a more pop culture-friendly setting with mythical creatures, contrasting traditional bird-themed games. [ more ]
What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend reading, listening and viewing
Some of the challenges in Netflix's Physical: 100 are literally Sisyphean.Netflix This week, we mourned the loss of Olivia creator Ian Falconer, learned how high school theater could be the next battleground in the culture war, and looked back at Oscars history.Here's what NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour crew was paying attention to and what you should check out this weekend.
Distilled, the boozy board game with heaps of culture, adds spirits from Africa and the Middle-east
Distilled is a popular board game focusing on the production of alcohol, addressing the growing interest in tabletop games and the shifting beverage consumption trends in the U.S.
The game's creator, Dave Beck, was inspired by distillery tours in Scotland to develop a game centered around whiskey, gin, and vodka production, incorporating unique mechanics to simulate the distillation process. [ more ]
Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls is the Disney heroine team-up of our dreams
Disney's success with board games like Disney Villainous and Disney Lorcana has led to the creation of a new game featuring Disney heroines.
Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls is a cooperative board game where players can embody Disney princesses and work together to defeat shadow villains. [ more ]
The new Eve Online board game is a faster, bigger take on Twilight Imperium
The success of video game licenses in the tabletop gaming industry is demonstrated by games like Dorfromantik.
More developers are creating high-profile video game crossovers, including projects based on indie hits and popular franchises like Call of Duty. [ more ]
LG StanbyME Go lets you bring along a huge media player in a suitcase - Yanko Design
When you're going on a trip somewhere, most especially outdoors, you probably are thinking of disconnecting or going offline.So you're probably not planning to bring along or use any of your gadgets or devices.But for those that are planning to watch movies, listen to music, or play games when camping, planning a party, or even going to the beach, having devices along can be a hassle as you need to bring a big screen, maybe speakers, a music player, and connectors of all kinds.
Meet Phecda, a sleek, intuitively designed laser engraver for designers, creatives, and makers on a budget - Yanko Design
If you're a designer, artist, or any kind of creator making and personalizing products, I'm here to tell you that a laser engraver is much more useful than a 3D printer.Unlike printers that only work with one or two kinds of filaments, a laser engraver can work on a variety of materials, allowing you to build products, personalize them with logos, images, and messages, and even build out the packaging for them in just a matter of minutes.
We've seen plenty of developments in portable tech in recent years.LG's latest reveal is maybe one of the most surprising but also most obvious - it's putting a 27in touchscreen display inside a briefcase.Yep, that might sound weird.Most portable tech now focuses on being small enough not to require its own luggage allowance.
Humanoid robots best suited for interaction and not chores, says robotics pioneer
Robots that look and act like people are best suited for human interaction and not domestic chores like unloading the dishwasher, a British robotics pioneer has said.Will Jackson, founder and director or Cornwall-based robotics firm Engineered Arts, said it does not make business sense to design humanoid robots for low-value labour such as handling crockery which can be a difficult task in itself.
Toys that parents believe are most likely to stand the test of time revealed
Lego, board games and puzzles are among the gifts that parents are most likely to believe will stand the test of time, according to a survey.Bikes, Barbies, footballs, and the Rubik's Cube were also popular choices as the toys that parents believe are the most timeless, Gumtree found.Nearly nine in 10 (87%) parents feel under pressure to deliver gifts their children will be pleased with this year, according to the findings.
Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
The US Became an Imperial Power in 1898. A New Exhibition Explains How. - Washingtonian
At the beginning of 1898, the United States of America was a minor player in world politics, with a devastating civil war just 32 years in its past.A year later, the US was arguably the biggest force in the Western Hemisphere, having wrested Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines from Spain, turned Cuba into a protectorate, and annexed Hawaii.
Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
A New Women's-History Board Game Has People Talking
Why is Washington the perfect place to host a historical- board-game conference?Just ask Kevin Bertram, owner of Fort Circle Games: "You know, DC has the highest concentration of nerds in this country, so . . . ." Actually, the answer is more prosaic.Bertram is the organizer of the event-held for the first time this year-and Fort Circle is based in the District.
Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
So, you want to be a contestant.The bad news first: Tens of thousands of people try out annually, and only a few hundred make the show.You need luck, and I can't help you hack the selection process.The good news: I can help you prepare for the test.Why listen to me?I was a two-day champion in January, so I have some recent experience.
Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
Happy Monday, everyone!Taste specialty menu items during Alexandria Restaurant Week, or grab an all-access pass to a local film festival to add to a week of fun.Best Things to Do This Week
Alexandria Restaurant Week.Did you have a good time chowing down during DC Restaurant Week? (Some DC restaurants have extended their Restaurant Week deals .)
I found Soph on an app.I met her at a red-lit wine bar in the West Village.She was exactly as pictured, except warmer, more aglow.Sheepish and charming, with a full laugh that I wanted to swallow for myself, she went in for a hug when I approached her.I already knew she was Australian.Over text, I made her swear to explain in-person how she'd ended up here.
10 Wonderful Ways To Switch Off From Technology In London
London living certainly has it's perks, but there's no denying that life in the Big Smoke can sometimes feel a bit like you're on a never-ending conveyor belt of busy tubes, even busier diaries, and a relentless stream of blue light.Our eyes are constantly glued to a screen, whether that be for work, entertainment, or to turn off one of the many alarms we've set as a reminder to give our plants (and ourselves) a drink of water for the first time in days.
At 6 Catskills Resorts: Retro Design, Modern Comfort and Games, Lots of Games
Picture yourself on a sojourn in the Catskill Mountains of New York.Would your preferred game be Pac-Man, pickleball or backgammon?The answer could determine where you stay.Then again, with the variety of games on hand at nearly every one of the Catskills' newest wave of stylish resorts, there should be more than one option that tickles your fancy.
Liza Colon-Zayas Swears by Brene Brown, Hacks' and Hugs
I'm sorry!Liza Colon-Zayas said from the bedroom of her Bronx home on a Friday afternoon as car horns blared over the phone.This is the only time of the day it's loud!She walked over to the window.Shut up! she yelled, closing it.I've never seen parents as crazy as when they're picking up their children from the nursery across the street.
How To Raise Financially Savvy Kids Who Are Good With Money
Like respecting your elders or covering your mouth when you sneeze, understanding how money works is a skill best learned when young.Because no one wants to raise a kid who's a jerk to grandma, sprays boogers all over strangers, or believes that money is fun paper with faces born from Daddy's back pocket.
Every couple needs time to connect.It's essential for happiness and satisfaction in a marriage.But this year, with all its many diversions, has made it easy to push this to the side.We're frustrated.We're stressed.We're frustrated and stressed about being frustrated and stressed.It's easy to ignore the simple things a relationship requires but the upkeep - staying interested, staying creative, finding new and exciting ways to learn about one another - is more important than ever to continue moving through.
7 Tips for Setting Goals When You're Depressed (And its Benefits)
"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination."- Fitzhugh Dodson The road to mental health recovery looks too long when you're standing at the starting line, but as you slowly make your way down the road, you meet some interesting challenges and victories.
12+ Game Night Games The Whole Family Will Love "Read More
We all know family time is important.It can be hard to plan fun family time with busy schedules.Varying interests among children can make it even harder.That's when it's time to start a family game night!You might recognize some of the game night games listed below, but there are probably several that are new to you.
Perfect Party Plans For A Twin Birthday " Read Now!
Twin birthday parties can be stressful!Not only do you have to buy two presents and make two cakes, but you also have to create a celebration that both children will like!One of the most common twin birthday party themes is "Twodoodles," named after the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse character.Other common twin party themes include "two peas in a pod," Frozen's Anna and Elsa from Frozen, video game characters Mario and Luigi, and Dr. Seuss' Thing One and Thing Two.
10 San Francisco Bars With More to Do Than Just Drink
For those who crave little competition with their beer
As fun as bars are for drinking and carousing, sometimes you need a side of activities.Maybe you're meeting up for a date, maybe it's a group outing of friends - whatever the occasion, sometimes there's a need for a little bit of social .. um, lubricant.
Teaching cryptocurrency to children can be a great way to introduce them to the world of finance and technology.Here are some interactive ways one can utilize to teach cryptocurrency to children: Start with the basics and use analogies Start by defining and describing the nature of money.Inform your kids about the various types of money and the function of banks.
An alcohol-free life can be good? These people figured that out long ago | CBC News
Willow Yamauchi quit drinking about 17 years ago.She said booze made her feel unhealthy and she has never stopped thinking about an alcoholic uncle who died at 37. Yamauchi, 50, drank as a teen and more recently raised a toast at her daughter's wedding, for luck.But the Vancouver woman says since 2005, she's never ingested more than a "centimetre" of alcohol.
Food cart pods with run-around room, restaurants with arcade or board games, and more
Family-friendly suburb Vancouver, Washington offers many places for kids to dine with their adult chaperones between trips to Sky Zone Trampoline Park or Dizzy Castle.Two new food cart pods just outside of Vancouver - Carts by the Park in Ridgefield and Ashwood Taps & Trucks in Washougal - provide a variety of dining options, as well as outdoor space to play.
Souper Jenny Expands in Decatur, Scooping Up a Former Health Food Store Space
Souper Jenny just expanded its Decatur location, taking over the former Nuts and Berries health food store space at North Decatur Plaza.And this location will not only feature plenty of seating, but also host events, dinner pop-ups, and cooking classes by owner Jenny Levison and her team.Levison returned to Decatur with Souper Jenny in 2020, after closing a popular location of her soup and sandwich restaurant a year earlier in the city's downtown dining district due to rent hikes and continued parking issues.
Brooklyn News: Wild Bird Fund Is Opening a Park Slope Outpost
Williamsburg residents awoke to a surprise today: The "Graham Ave-Ave of Puerto Rico" street sign that hangs above traffic on corner of the busy thoroughfare and Moore Street was removed and replaced with a sign simply reading "Graham Ave." - Wild Bird Fund to Open Brooklyn Location for Locals Who Love Wildlife In big news for the borough's wildlife lovers, Wild Bird Fund will be opening an outpost in Park Slope just two blocks west of Prospect Park.
The Insider: Long-Awaited Reno Freshens Park Slope Home for Book- and Game-Loving Family
Got a project to propose for The Insider? Contact Cara at caramia447 [at] gmail [dot] com A piano in the kitchen, a marigold-colored stove and a dedicated closet for video and board games are pretty clear indicators that the family that occupies this three-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor of a limestone walkup is creative, color-friendly and delightfully unconventional.
Sometimes Tennis Is a Waiting Game. And Waiting and Waiting.
When Felix Auger-Aliassime won the first two sets of his men's quarterfinals against Daniil Medvedev at last year's Australian Open, Gonzalo Escobar started prepping for his mixed doubles semifinals, the next match in Rod Laver Arena.As the third set progressed, Escobar and his partner Lucie Hradecka, along with their opponents Jason Kubler and Jaimee Fourlis, began loosening up.
Bruins' David Pastrnak Reveals Reason For Wearing Black Nail Polish
BOSTON - David Pastrnak was sporting black nail polish Monday, but it wasn't to represent the Bruins.The forward, who had two goals and an assist in Boston's 6-0 shutout win over the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden, was asked about it after the game.And no, he's not in a goth phase.Pastrnak said he lost a bet while playing a board game with his family in town.
Terrible at buying Christmas presents? Peep our guide for clever gift ideas
Have you ever bought a Christmas gift for someone that you know just isn't right for them?This often happens when we don't take the time to consider the person's interests or are shopping at the last minute.And when that happens, "that's an awkward feeling" for both you and the recipient, says Rachel Wilkerson Miller, editor-in-chief of SELF Magazine.
Brewery Day Trip: Craft beer adventures near Oakland's Jack London Square
This month, my Bay Area brewery tours took me to the industrial end of Oakland's Jack London Square.Among the warehouses and manufacturing businesses along Third Street are a couple of breweries and brewpubs that are well worth venturing into for a pint.Old Kan Beer & Co. Brewer-owner Adam Lamoreaux founded Old Kan Beer & Co. in 2017 in the same spot that once housed Linden Street, the brewery he closed in 2015.
Brewery Day Trip: A beer-centric jaunt on the Peninsula
I've hop scotched beer scotched?around the Bay Area checking out breweries from Gilroy to Brentwood.This time I ventured to the upper Peninsula to check out beer havens in South San Francisco and Pacifica.Here's what I found.47 Hills Brewing South San Francisco's Armstrong Brewing was a casualty of the pandemic's first year, but the good news is that 47 Hills Brewing is still thriving.
For Christmas 2022, Printemps takes us to the circus with Santa as the ringleader for the clowns and trapeze artists swing freely on their swings.The star-studded inauguration event for the windows in November was hosted by supermodel Cindy Crawford and supermodel daughter Kaia Gerber, co-hosted by Naomi Campbell and Isabelle Huppert.
This British Newcomer Brings Pub Grub Classics and Live Fiddle Music to Hollywood
Directly next door to Hollywood's Beauty & Essex is a casual newcomer called the Chap.The British pub-inspired restaurant and bar opened in the Vinyl District on Saturday, November 19 with a lush patio garden dining area, European pints on tap, and classic British dishes.And in a more timely matter, the Chap can also be a dedicated place to watch the World Cup.
This week we welcome Kirk Byers (@kirkbyers) as our PyDev of the Week!Kirk teaches several different courses about Python and network automation.Kirk also has a short video on that topic over on O'Reilly Media.Let's spend a few moments getting to know Kirk better!Can you tell us a little about yourself (hobbies, education, etc):I studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oregon State University.
Cute or Creepy? A Kentucky Victorian Is Back on the Market, Sporting a Spooky New Look for Halloween
MLS via Realtor.comIf you're just dying to buy it, the Lexington, KY, home is back on the market with a spooky new look for $799,000.From the jack-o'-lanterns lining the front steps to the grand staircase teeming with tarantulas and witch hats, every inch of this 3,868-square-feet house has been cleverly decorated for the haunted holiday.
Stuck inside with the kids and trying to figure out what to do? You're not alone.Whether it's a sick day or there's inclement weather, at some point parents everywhere will think about the best indoor activities for kids.Maybe you have already considered reading a book or breaking out the board games, but what about creating your own game or hosting a puppet show?
Comedy Bang! Bang! Podcast to Perform in Character As a Book
You may just be able to satisfy these desires soon, as a new Comedy Bang! Bang!book is on its way.The Podcast: The Book, a new "full-color extravaganza, with all of your favorites from the show contributing text pieces, ads, board games, and MORE," is coming out April 2023."The book features brand-new anecdotes and opinions from the show's wild cast of recurring characters, and matches the show in tone and wackiness, with essays, lists, plays, nods to running bits, and four-color illustrations throughout, helping to bring the zany, satirical, undefinable world of Comedy Bang! Bang! to life in new and surprising ways!"
Today's best deals: A bunch of Apple devices, Amazon Fire HD tablets, and more
It's Wednesday, which means the time has come for another Dealmaster.Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes a variety of discounts on Apple devices.